Births on January 8

Merlyn Myer, Australian philanthropist (d. 1982)

Dame Margery Merlyn Myer (née Baillieu; 8 January 1900 – 3 September 1982) was an Australian philanthropist, who was notable for her charitable work.

16 Jan

American Samoa
The United States Senate accepts the Anglo-German treaty of 1899 in which the United Kingdom renounces its claims to the Samoan islands.
24 Mar

New York City Subway
Mayor of New York City Robert Anderson Van Wyck breaks ground for a new underground "Rapid Transit Railroad" that would link Manhattan and Brooklyn.
5 Apr

Linear B
Archaeologists in Knossos, Crete, discover a large cache of clay tablets with hieroglyphic writing in a script they call Linear B.
2 Jul

Lake Constance
The first Zeppelin flight takes place on Lake Constance near Friedrichshafen, Germany.
14 Jul

Boxer Rebellion
Armies of the Eight-Nation Alliance capture Tientsin during the Boxer Rebellion.